Storm or wind-proof sign board



Sept. l5, 1931. I J. A. MARX ET`AL 1,823,404 y I STORM 0R WINDPROOF SIGN BOARD.;-

Filed May 29. 1930 `Patented Sept. 15, 1931 -UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICEN Y 4ULIUS A. MARX, OF ALTOONA,`AND WILLIAM W. LOWER, OF TYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA f s'ronivr ony WIND-PROOF SIGN BOARD pplcation filed May v29,

This invention relates to sign boards or bill boards particularly such as are used in the open country and which are, therefore, subjectedgreatly to the action of wind.

i The main object of our invention is to provide a signboard construction in which the signV is carried upon panels pivoted upon upper and'lower elements of the sign board so as to swing open if wind of an undue strength strikes the board, means being provided whereby the panels are normally held closed and in a single vertical plane.

A further object is to provide a construction of this* character in which the panels 'are held against swinging movement under the action of the wind pressure and in which the panels may open in either direction depende ingupon thedirection of the wind@y ,e L' n Other objects will appear in'ftliegcour niet '2'0 the followingdescriptionnum@ [ne 'Our invention is illustrated A rallying drawngsaanhjeleif, il?? ai F gure l isa rnteelevaton .Qfnaisign board 'enstnll'etedfnirfaeeerdanee -rvlfthV nur *U25 llvellfaillf mi nr redsun wir flgurei? atoplplen vieivrwitlttheiupner .brunt r1sfondi,y the ipanelsnantdnthie @ethical e- @instill/@entrenar 1 *Erlgnrefftisj andr threes@ nerton h lamizi'ramereem,

f Figure 4 is section@- L i322 n 'gniai'nmion i I, is i y t! 1h99 herilills5v5-0 after@ e i. rfb@ seethst wenige seth@ 11n d' t' e heserestsmay 'y sul@ @mannen fates' to the fp'inn 1930. serial N6. 457,407.

which may be formed in sections or have the full length of the distance betweenthe posts and which is preferably formed of two two by six timbers l5 with a single T-iron 16 having its web extending downward betweenffsai'd timbers, the T-iron restingupon the topth'enee of as shown iny Figure 4. Interinediatefsup porting membersl 17 are disposediat spaced' intervals between the posts;anditermediate supporting elements -18 arelisposed at fspaced intervals beneath tlrelowei':elenient lnbutF these sul'aport-ing; =-.elernei1ts/I8 inlay :',wel'l @be formed; off'eoncrete fand tlierelenentsl' inlay' be formed of'ftimberzor viiron'was desfiredram uI't will be "sfeenithata4 the f Fsi'gn'f space iisf :die Vided by; Zthefinenibrs "lfrint three sections andv disposed: inftcachf of fthe'set sections :are two panels"9.11T Thesefpanelslfarefalike fand iiizyeb {neglect-any;siiitablewinaterial ,but preferably they'g'will be' ormed of? a framing designated 2Q loffffstrips of wood q referably two'fly ftwo Cross sect-ion f'sppoting; faiinonteri andif'an inner; sheetof, sheetmetal':21h/Fliese panels at ftheirlupper; fendsfzand lovjvr:` endssafe!aprofay vident' rv' h iotwbblts? Q which'enfgagin SOCketsl Pl'eifeljaflolyethesdcletsi 23 swill' :be forinelf; riconjnnctioavith:ametallcfphite 24 attachable to the members iwhile'the upper;anll'livergendsro theipanels iti-l1 have attached;tlienetothenneta-lf;plateswto'whieh Sil free-en' Ofthananelsfwillfheprovidedqwth .ble flans whichmlflnnerl-apeach ether i, lthewnanelenre rclesegd leseranl reektompeniaanhlehfmishnbe @themes ormed between the two panels. They twg vesicles@ .inllibesflahgnithnach et1-saanaraneesiacens 'armi .IiQ/ri @932; Pttimtl 2359K relh notonly may each .nanelserrn U l i) finlz Jl ,Lulh.. Y `fI ont tacefbutmaycarry asien @mi man une n* imuguo.' nilwn upon its rear face and t evpanelsfx reversed so as to 'mr requires a very extensive and rigid bracing of signs or bill boards but, of course, it is necessary that the panels shall be returned to their alined position when the Wind decreases; beyond a predetermined degree and under normal circumstances.

To this end, we haveprovided weights, one for each pair ofipanels,.and-` designated 27, these weights each being disposed in a weight boX 28 which maybe made of wood or' any other suitablematerial, eachl weight being attached to a pair of. chains, cordsor other flexible connections 29'wliich eXtendup through the top of the weightboX-are thenangularly deflected and then detachably connectedfto'theffree margins ofV the panels 19.

. These -chains or cords may pass over a pulley or pulleysgmount'ed in the upper end of the weight' box'or'correspondmg opening 1n the member'y 1,3,.but as shown, we have provided an iron: 13a attached to the uppery face of' the-'member 13 just above the opening'to each weight box and through whichiron, chains, cords Orca-bles mayl pass. Preferably, there f willzbe a flap-30. on. each of the panels adjacent its free edgeY which when the panels are closedfwill close the lgroove or guide chan nel 31 through which thecords orchains 39 passto-th-us prevent the entrance of rain or snow'totheweight box.v It will be seen that werhave providedazbill board orl sign board constructionin whi'chthe greater portion of thef'bill.board'consists of panels which will automatically open under vwind-pressure and which; will automatically close when the pressure Adiesd'own'and'.V thatl we have provided constrnecion"` su'ch'th'at the panels may be rotated; if" desired, so` as todisplayeither orfbotltsides of,` the panels and further that we have' provided a bill board'of sign board Y coustrnction whichiisvery rigid, solidv and .A or vthe other, .the panels are always open,.the

flexible elements 26 and 30 being suii'ciently flexibleto permit this, dependingupon th directionof. the wind..A

Wedonot. wishV to be limitedy to the parti'cular construction yof the supporting frame torfthe panels-asethis might be varied 'in many ways without departingy from the spirit: of

tlie invention; asy detined= inthe appended -claimsfi ".Ihusz Tirer-r,4 angl-e iron,` concrete,

iron :pipeaoria Y largenumbenof otherY different structural elements might be used in place Y ofthe structural elements illustrated.

l/Ve claim l. A sign board including a supporting frame deining a plurality of openings, a pair of panels disposed within each of said openings, the Apanels being'pivotally mounted at their upper and lower ends orswinging movement, and separate and independent means for each pair of panelsnormally urging each pair kor" panelstoa position'where they are llushwitheach other, but permitting the panels toopen'under wind pressure.

LA; sign.- board including a supporting frame deiining a plurality of openings, a pair of panels disposed: within'eachone of said openings, the' panels beingpivotally'mounted at their upper. and l'owerends for swinging movement,'. and* means, common to each; pair oli-panels normally urging each pair et panels to a position where they.' are'flush with each other, but permittingv the panels to open under wind; pressure and Acomprising` a weight, ak wieightz' box andfilexiible connections extendingA from-v the' weight, passing out-'of the weight' box and, connected to theI lower corners ofk the adjacent' free edges of the panels ofaipair.

3. A` sign board comprising l'ateralposts, longitudinal elements mountedl upon said posts and intermediate yvertical elements, the postsbeingormedeach of apair oflvertical timbers andi av T-ironv disposed between said timbers andoverlappingthe same,l the -upper longitudinal member3 comprisingl two timb'ersland opposed 'lg'lirons hav-ing their-v webs inserted betweenlsairdI timbers, Va plurality of pairs off panels disposed' between saidI upper and lower elements andlrotatably vengaged at their upper `and lower ends with said" elements, and Y'adapted when closed to `be disposedlin flush, alinedgrelati'on to each` other, the panels being adaptedto carry sign'supon opposite faces of tli'eY panels, and) meansnormally urging said 'panels in't'c an lalined, flush position, but permitting-the panels-"to open underwindf pressure. l Y

4. A sign board comprising a supporting frame, a pair-fof panels pivotally'r supported within said frame, each for rotation around a vertical axis, said panels normally being disposed in'failush relation with their edges meeting, and means normally urging each pair of'panel's to a position where they are flush with each other but permittingv the panels to open under wind pressure, compris ing a'vertically movable weight, andv a cable attached to the weightand 'having direct con-` nection with the freeedges ofthe panels, the weighte and cable being mounted upon the Jframe andthe frame having a guide member over-which the cable passes anddisposed in closevproximity'to the edges of the panelto which the cable-is attached@` f 5iI signi; bea-ret` comprising a" supporting frame, a panel pivotally supported Within said frame for rotation around a Vertical axis, the panel being normally positioned in a relation parallel to the frame but bein swingable in either direction therefrom, an

means urging the panel into such parallel relation but permitting the panel to open in either direction under Wind pressure including a Weight and a cable connected to the Weight and connected directly to a free edge of the panel, the Weight being supported by the frame and the frame having a guiding means overwhich the cable passes, the guiding means being disposed immediately adj acent the edge of the panel to which the cable is attached, the guiding means permittingthat portion of the cable immediately adjacent the panel to be pulled out in either direction and exert a direct pull on the edge of the panel in all positions of the panel.

In testimony whereof We hereunto affix our signatures.

' JULIUS A. MARX.

WILLIAM W. LOWER. 

